What happens when a girl turns 21? How about when a podcast does? We have a little bit of a party. And we reflect on how far we've come and where we're going.
That's exactly what we're doing on this 21st episode of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast. Co-hostesses Krista Gilbert and Alexandra Kuykendall talk through what this whole podcast thing is about. Why they're doing it. What the intent is and what the core values of the sisterhood are.
Though these two typically interview other guests, in this episode they interview one another, giving listeners an insight into their friendship and their unique personalities. Join in to hear how they met in a college theater production, what keeps their lives working well as they each parent four children and the difference between full schedules and full lives.
You only need to go on Teresa Swanstrom Anderson's Instagram feed to know she likes all things girly and pretty. But don't let the pink and glitter fool you into thinking she is meek. Quite the opposite, Teresa is a fierce mother of six who has traveled to the other side of the world more than once to bring home four of her children.
In fact in this episode you will hear stories of Teresa's childhood years in Guatemala City where she often army crawled from room to room in the airport hanger she lived in with her family as gunfire rang around their makeshift home. Weren't we right? Fierce.
In this episode of the Open Door Sisterhood Podcast you will hear about Teresa's recent Bible teaching efforts, how she manages 5 school pick-ups and drop-offs, why she began throwing dinner parties for women she often didn't know well and how she welcomes dinners delivered on her doorstep (to a pink front door we might add). You will be charmed, entertained and inspired by Teresa's stories.
Did you know that as soon as 8th grade you can start preparing your child for college? Many of us wait until our student is a junior or senior to start the process, but there are some important things we need to know and do before that point. And if you are already there? Well, this interview will be very timely and important for you.
Jeannie Burlowski is my guest on this episode. She is a full time college consultant who helps parents set their children up for success after high school. Her new book, Launch: How to get your kids through college debt free and into jobs they love afterwards, will release in late 2016.
Whether you have young children, middle schoolers, or high schoolers, this interview will put invaluable tools in your college toolbox.
t's no wonder our interview with Jess Wolstenholm was all about living an authentic faith in front of our kids. It was her combination of authenticity and love for Jesus that drew us to her at our first "chance" meeting. Two years ago we sat next to Jess and her partner at Grace for Moms, Kristi Chowny, at a conference luncheon and immediately hit it off. Jess has a warmth and a genuine interest in others that is evident in every interaction. We know you will love her too.
During this episode we cover what it means to live an authentic faith in front of your kids, how to simply and naturally talk about spiritual matters as a family and Jess' newest discovery to help with dark circles under her eyes. (Sidenote Alex ordered this trick from Amazon within days of recording this episode). We know you will appreciate her emphasis on grace. There is no right way to mother and no right way to talk to your kids about Jesus. And yet Jess is full of great ideas and resources for you to try and find what works for your family.
We recorded this episode before the three of us were most recently together. Just this weekend Jess came to Idaho to spend time with the sisterhood at the Open Door Sisterhood Mastermind Retreat. Whether in person or through the podcast airwaves, Jess is a delight and an encouragement to moms. We know you will love to sit in on our conversation with her.
Kendra Tillman wants you to know you are stronger than you think. Yes you mama, with the work to be done at home and in the office. With dinner to be made and bills to be paid. She sees women doing the calling God has put in front of them and she is their cheerleader.
A mom of three herself, Kendra recently took a huge leap and quit her full-time job to pursue her dream of being a full-time entrepreneur. She made this move before it made sense on paper. But her husband was supportive and the change hasn't looked exactly as she thought it would, but that's what a step of faith is, one where the results aren't guaranteed.
In this episode we hear some about this recent decision, her annual event she puts on for women and teen girls in the Phoenix area titled, you guessed it, You Are Stronger Than You Think, and starting a local chapter of Black Girls Run. In our discussion on StrengthsFinder as a tool to know yourself and others better, we discover that all three of us, Krista, Alex and Kendra, share a top strength: Belief. Which explains a lot about Kendra's decision to take a risk in order to live as she believes God is calling her.
Sarah Harmeyer is a special guest on our podcast because she is so dear to both of us. In fact we taped this episode when Sarah was sitting in Krista's real life kitchen. Sarah is a people gatherer. A woman on a love mission as she likes to say and she has invited many to join her in loving people around the table.
In this episode you will hear the how and why behind Sarah starting Neighbor's Table, the difference between being a good cook and a good hostess, and why others are buying Sarah's dad's handcrafted tables. You won't want to miss this genuine expression of Sarah's desire to make others feel welcome in her backyard and how we can do that in our own homes with the people right around us.
Join Sarah on her love mission and listen to this episode to hear more about Neighbor's Table.
Our interview with mother and writer Wynter Pitts delighted us with surprises. With four girls at home Wynter unknowingly founded a magazine for tween girls. By unknowingly, we mean she didn't set out to make a magazine, she simply was a mom wanting to create something for her daughters. Appropriately named, For Girls Like You, organically developed into a quarterly magazine and is now a project her entire family works on together.
But the family's creative flare is not isolated to the written word. Wynter's eldest daughter Alena acted alongside Priscilla Shirer in the box office hit War Room. In this podcast episode we hear what the movie taping process was like, how Alena trained for the double dutch stunts and how a mother's understanding of God's use of her children was broadened.
Wynter's interview inspired us to broaden our thinking about how we could be world changers WITH our children right where we are. God's plans for Wynter's family are unique and suited just perfectly for who they are. What next step might you take with your family to walk through a door that God has opened?
Months ago Krista's sister, Kendra, said to Krista, "You have to meet Katie!" Soon after, Krista told Alex the same thing. And now we are saying to you, "You have to meet Katie!"
A writing instructor at Whitworth University, a contributor to the popular Coffee and Crumbs blog, Katie's writing is stunning. It puts words to our feelings and more importantly points us toward a larger truth as we grapple with the uncomfortable. Her own journey this summer has been marked by her son's developmental diagnosis, moving him from temporary delays to perhaps lifelong challenges. This has shaped every aspect of Katie's life. From her work to her marriage to her faith, she keeps returning to what she knows to be true. About her family. And about who God is.
You will hear Katie's tender spirit in this conversation as we talk about this journey she is still on, what has helped her the last few months, and how she memorizes Scripture. From pens to cold brew coffee Katie's life (and writing) are in the details. We're not kidding when we say, "You have to meet Katie!"
Kendall acts as the Executive Producer and Emcee of MOMcon (MOPS International's national gathering of over 3,000 moms) and has recently taken on the job of Leadership Experience Content Strategist for the organization. In our conversation we talk through how to make work/life balance decisions when there are kids to raise and expectations to be examined. What a difference a mentor makes and our responsibility to call out the good we see in others.
We also cover the rounds from who will be on the main stage at MOMcon, to what music Kendall is listening to and who she reads first thing in the morning. You won't want to miss this fun and significant conversation.
Cherie Lowe is known as the Queen of Free. She developed a reputation for freebies as she shared her story of debt reduction on her blog. Soon she was not only sharing money saving tips, she was sharing the heart behind why she and her husband Brian wanted to eliminate their consumer debt. And it wasn't just a little credit card bill, they had over $127,000 worth of consumer debt.
We talk with Cherie about their decision to pull back in spending, pay off debt and how that plays out in their current budget. We also talk about how to use our most precious commodity: our time.
You won't want to miss this episode with Cherie. It is both practical and inspirational as we all try to be wise with our money.